The successful launch of the India’s maiden mission to moon Chandrayaan 1 is “just the beginning” of the opening up of a new frontier of cooperation between the US and India on a wide range of sectors, the United States India Business Council (USIBC) said on Wednesday.

“It is an extraordinary moment in history. We have an India of 1.3 billion people looking to the heavens and now exploring the frontiers of Space,” USIBC president Ron Somers told PTI upon the launch of Chandrayaan 1.

The liftoff of Chandrayaan 1 was lustily cheered at the US Chamber of Commerce where the USIBC had organised a live broadcast of the historic occasion that saw the participation of officials from the White House, the State Department, the NASA and senior officials of the Indian Embassy.

The USIBC event also saw the participation of the Indian American community who were clearly thrilled.